MA Architects

MA Architects is a Maltese architecture and structural engineering practice based in Birkirkara. Founded by Mark Arrigo in 2014, the studio designs houses, apartments, commercial premises, shops and industrial buildings, and also handles the engineering and planning paperwork that sits behind them.

For UK buyers and owners of Maltese property, a local studio that can cover design, structure and permits in one place is a practical advantage. The same team that draws the building can advise on whether a plot or an existing property can do what you hope.

The studio and how it works

The studio designs primarily for people and aims to build spaces that are relevant to their place. Its four values are being trusted, bold, dynamic and cutting edge: leaving no stone unturned on quality, challenging the architectural status quo, paying close attention to detail, and balancing function with form. It pairs a strong eye for design with attention to how a building will be used now and in the years ahead.

Mark Arrigo is the founder and lead architect, and he describes the practice's passion as fusing creative design with the practical side of construction: understanding a project's requirements first, then designing functional solutions with a bold edge. The studio's work has been recognised in Malta, including the Best Architecture Single Residence Malta 2020 to 2021 award for its Angle Villa project and a Malta Architect of the Year award in the Best Architecture Consultancy of the Year category. It is also a LEED Green Associate, which means it has training in green building practice.

Architectural design

Design work covers exteriors and interiors, and extends to interior detailing, furniture design, materials and layout selection, and landscaping. Mechanical and electrical engineering is outsourced to trusted partners. The studio takes a client's brief and translates it into buildings that suit their setting, whether residential, commercial, retail or industrial. Challenges such as the location of a new or existing building, the budget, the timeframe or a space that must serve several purposes are tackled with meticulous structural detailing and industry expertise.

Its portfolio includes Villa Serenity in Madliena, the Angle Villa, The Flow in the Mellieħa area, Squares House in Birkirkara and Movement in Iklin, as well as House of Space and Character in St Julian's, A Maisonette Reimagined in San Pawl tat-Targa, The Pegasus Design in Floriana, close to the capital, which our Valletta guide covers, and an airplane recycling hangar in Luqa.

Structural engineering

The engineering side of the practice works with design software to plan structures efficiently, thinking about how a building will be used over its lifetime and how to keep future maintenance low. It handles feasibility studies, new buildings including high-rise complexes, and modifications to pre-engineered buildings, and can work directly with clients or with partner agencies that need structural input. The aim is practical, cost effective and environmentally conscious solutions, with engineering working in step with the architecture rather than after it.

Consultancy, valuations and planning

The consultancy arm helps owners and developers find out whether an idea is possible before committing money. Services include project valuations, feasibility assessments, planning applications and structural advisory work, with an overview of the legislation and the likely financial impact. It covers single and multiple dwellings as well as commercial, retail and industrial projects. Advice draws on the studio's technical knowledge of design and structural engineering, including the pressures of climate change, care for the environment and the need for a building to stay versatile as needs change. Unusual or specific requests are welcome too.

If you are weighing up a move and a property purchase, our guide to relocating to Malta covers the wider picture, and the studio is one of the firms listed in our architects directory. To start a conversation, use the VisitMalta.co.uk enquiry form on this page and we will pass your message to the business.